Various systems have been used to secure a tooth to a supporting structure of a bucket or ripper. For example, cooperating wedges are driven into the aperture of a tooth, with the aperture being aligned with an aperture in a projection of the bucket or ripper. These previously available wedges have several disadvantages. Fur example, a is necessary to use a hammer to remove the wedges. It is not uncommon for pieces of metal to fracture from the wedges during impact. These pieces can result in eye and other injuries. A still further disadvantage is that the wedges are frequently hard to remove.
The above problems have been addressed by employing threshold shafts. These have also demonstrated disadvantages in that the threads are often deformed and become worn as the tooth passes through a soil or rock layer. This then makes the wedge difficult to remove.